McLean Restaurant Inspections: Cafe Taj, Elevation Burger

In Virginia, restaurant inspection reports aren't quite as simple as getting a letter grade or an easy to see number rating to post in the front window.

That said, we all want to know how our favorite restaurants stack up on cleanliness and sanitation.

In Fairfax County, inspectors grade restaurants based on critical and non-critical violations.

A "critical violation" is one that "poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety of the food being served." Non-critical violations are generally related to cleaning or maintenance.

"Ideally, an operation would have no critical violations, or none which are not corrected immediately and not repeated. In our experience, it is unrealistic to expect that a complex, full-service food operation can routinely avoid any violations," according to Virginia Department of Health's website.

The site continues: "Keep in mind that any inspection report is a 'snapshot' of the day and time of the inspection. On any given day, a restaurant could have fewer or more violations than noted in the report. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long term cleanliness of an establishment."

Since our last round-up, the following McLean restaurants have been inspected by the Virginia Department of Health. The full reports can be accessed on the health department's website.

Charlie Chiang's Kwai inside Tysons Corner Center

• Critical: There was no certified food manager present.
• Critical: Chicken broth was being kept warm on the stove at an improper temperature.
• Critical: Ground garlic, ground ginger, lo mein, tofu, bean sprouts and egg rolls were being kept in the refridgerator at an improper temperature.
• Critical: A package of tofu was not date marked and was not used within 24 hours of being opened.
• Critical: Egg rolls were not dated marked and were not used within 24 hours of preparation.
• Critical: Pesticides labeled for residential use were observed in the facility and are being applied by the operator to control pests.

Cafe Taj, 1379 Beverly Rd.

• Critical: Two open drinks were stored on shelving with food.
• Critical: Inspector observed cooked chicken on the floor under a prep table.
• Critical: Vegetable fritters and cooked potatoes were observed holding at improper temperatures in the refridgerator.
• Critical: Cooked chicken, cooked lamb, cooked mixed vegetables, samosas, onion sauce and yogurt was not date marked and was not used within 24 hours of preparation. 

Elevation Burger inside Tysons Corner Center

• Critical: One or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete.
• Critical: Inspector observed no time documentation for cooked mushrooms and onions.